Brazil this week to submit bill to help cash-strapped states

BRASILIA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Brazilian Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles plans to submit to Congress this week a bill to help shore up the finances of states suffering a crippling fiscal crisis.

Meirelles said on Monday the approval of the new bill is needed for the federal government to honor a rescue program to suspend debt payments from the state of Rio de Janeiro. Facing a sharp drop in tax revenues the state has missed wage payments of police and doctors since last year. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Alonso Soto; Editing by Chris Reese)